What if?
by MaverickSawyer
Summary: A lumped together collection of standalone stories where I ask myself, "What if?", then explore what changes. Probably going to be updated on an infrequent basis as ideas crop up.
1. Chapter 1

**What If?**

_What if Chuck broke his collarbone, instead of Herc? How would the events after the Battle of Hong Kong have gone down?_

_Battle of Hong Kong_

Herc and chuck both agreed, it was time to end this fight. Herc spoke for both of them. "ENGAGING AIR MISSILES!"

With a "RRRRAAAAHHHHHH!" of defiance, both Rangers mimicked the gestures of Striker as the rocket launchers deployed. They tracked Otachi, and prepared to fire…

Suddenly, a pulse of blue-white light washed over the Jaeger, and every circuit instantly scrambled. The Rangers staggered under the impact of this new mysterious attack, fighting to keep Striker online and in the fight in spite of the electrical discharges flying around the Conn Pod and delivering pure agony.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHGGGGGGHHHH!"

Finally, after a few seconds, it stopped, and the massive war machine was stilled.

Herc and Chuck pulled off their helmets. They looked around the cockpit, confused.

Chuck fiddled with some of the controls, hoping to get _any_ response. "The hell was that?"

Herc tried to toggle the comms. "LOCCENT."

"I've never seen that before!"

"LOCCENT!"

Horrified, the two Rangers watched Otachi disappear into downtown Hong Kong, while Leatherback circled outside.

Herc tried every trick in the book to restore power, without success. "There's no emergency power. We gotta bail."

Chuck, ever the impulsive half of Striker, had other ideas. "I'm gonna try something else." He started to detach from the motion capture rig.

Herc looked at his son, and saw Leatherback's massive hand closing on the Conn Pod. "NO! DON'T DISENGAGE!"

Too little, too late. Leatherback's knuckle impacted into Chuck's side of the cockpit, flinging the young Ranger across the Conn Pod. Herc heard a sickening "snap" as Chuck impacted into the wall.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH! MY ARM!"

Herc disengaged from his motion capture rig and raced over to Chuck. "You okay?"

"NO, I AM NOT OKAY! IT HURTS!"

Outside, the Kaiju roared in challenge. Both Rangers looked out the viewport, concerned.

Chuck grimaced, fighting back the pain of the broken collarbone and the shattered Drift. "He's right outside. We ne to get out of here now!"

Herc, however, had other plans. "We're not going anywhere! Now, you and I are the only thing standing between that ugly bastard and a city of ten million people." He hit three hatches mounted along the side of the Conn Pod, revealing a series of flare guns that Chuck recalled were supposed to be visible over ten miles away… through a hurricane. "Now, we have a choice here. We either sit here and wait, or we take these flare guns and do something _really_ stupid."

Chuck grimaced. "You know me. I'm always up for something stupid."

Herc grinned, and snagged three flare guns. "Right, let's use that exit hatch and go atop the Conn Pod."

-.-.-

Herc led the way as he climbed out onto the top of Striker's Conn Pod. He reached down and carefully helped Chuck clamber out. "How's your arm?"

"Ah, just give me the gun."

Herc handed over one of the flare guns, then turned to face Leatherback. "HEY, YOU!"

Chuck aimed and fired his flare gun, and Herc followed suit.

Chuck's flare glanced off the chin of the Kaiju. Herc's, however, burrowed into the center left eye. The Kaiju was clearly not happy about this, as it let loose an earth-(or Jaeger-) shaking roar of pure agony.

Chuck stared in shock, watching the bizarre series of events unfold.

Herc leaned over to Chuck and bellowed over the roars. "I THINK WE JUST PISSED IT OFF!"

The Kaiju lifted its arms to the sky, clearly intent on crushing Striker and his crew…

Until the Kaiju was suddenly backlit by a half-dozen spotlights.

The Kaiju turned towards them, curious… revealing Gipsy Danger slung under a formation of Jumphawks.

Gipsy dropped from the sky, splashing down as close to the Kaiju as they dared, then stood up and blared their rescue horn in challenge. Despite the incredible volume, Chuck had never heard a sweeter sound in his life.

The Jaeger took a ready stance that Herc recognized as pure Raleigh, and the Kaiju charged. With a speed and agility that seemed incongruous on a nearly 4 million pound war machine, Gipsy smoothly redirected the Kaiju's momentum and ducked around behind it, and proceeded to grab hold of the odd organ on its back. "YEAH!"

Chuck was more enthusiastic. "COME ON, GIPSY! KICK HIS ASS!"

The organ finally tore loose and was hurled away into the bay. Before Gipsy could regain her footing, however, Leatherback wrapped the older Jaeger in a bear hug and proceeded to spin around and toss it across the bay, through Stonecutter Bridge. While Gipsy tumbled through the air, Leatherback raced towards the expected impact point.

As soon as Leatherback was clear of the area, a particularly bold pilot flew their helicopter over to the top of Striker. A rescue basket was dropped, and Chuck scrambled aboard. The flight mechanic winched Chuck aboard and handed him over to the medic. Herc then boarded the basket, and the helicopter began its short flight back to the Shatterdome. Herc watched Gipsy finish off Leatherback…then turn around and shoot the corpse a few more times, just to be sure. Herc roared with delighted laughter as the radio transmitted Raleigh's words.

"_No pulse."_

-.-.-

Herc missed Gipsy's landing in the stadium after being dropped by Otachi, due to his visit with the medics. However, he made a point of dragging Chuck along to the mess hall to greet the crew of Gipsy. "Raleigh!"

Herc pushed through the throngs of people surrounding the two black-clad Rangers, shaking hands with a beaming Mako. He looked at Chuck, who was looking on from the edge of the crowd, then back to Raleigh. "My kid'd never admit it, but he's grateful." He stuck out a hand. "We both are."

-.-.-

Herc walked into Stacker's office just after the Breach alert sounded again. "Stacker… I know what's going through your head now."

"Do you?"

"I need a copilot. Chuck's hurt, and you're the only other Ranger on base who isn't paired. And, we're compatible."

Pentecost looked out the window over the harbor. "You're right. I am the only choice."

Herc walked over to stand with Pentecost. "You sure you can handle the load? Striker's a handful."

"I'll manage."

"You going to talk to Mako before we Drop?"

"Are you going to talk to Chuck?"

"Yeah, soon as we're done here."

Pentecost turned to face Herc. "Herc, we're both leaving behind our children."

"No, I am. Mako's going with us."

"And she'll make it back. I trust Raleigh to do the right thing and eject her if there's any doubts about survival."

"If the situation was reversed, with me being the gimp… Would you do the same for Chuck?"

Stacker laughed sadly. "I think he'd rather die in Striker than of old age."

"You're probably right." Herc sighed. "Well, let's go face the music, shall we? Last stand of the old guard."

Stacker nodded once. "To the suit room?"

"Suit room." A sad smile from Herc. "One last time."

-.-.-

Herc and Stacker walked towards the elevator, already thinking ahead to the mission.

Chuck jogged up behind them. "Hey, Marshall!"

They stopped.

"Can… I have a moment with my old man?"

Stacker nodded, then stepped into the elevator.

Herc turned around. "Chuck… I'm sorry it has to be like this."

"I know. It should be us in Striker."

"I just don't want to regret not being there for you. For all the things I've never said…"

"I know them all, dad."

Herc fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.

Max barked once, and Herc stooped down to pet him and kiss him goodbye. "I'll miss you, Max." He stood back up. "Take care of yourself, son."

"I will."

Herc nodded, then walked to the elevator to stand with Pentecost. The doors closed, and Chuck just stood there and stared.

-.-.-

Chuck stood in LOCCENT, watching over Tendo's shoulder for the first time in a long time. _I should be out there, not stuck here with a bum arm._

"Disengaging transport." Tendo flicked the switches that remotely released the Jaegers from the Jumphawks, and the icons of the two Jaegers plunged downward in the holodisplay.

Herc's voice echoed through the radio. "_LOCCENT. All ports sealed, ready to submerge._"

Raleigh's voice filtered through moments later. "_All ports sealed, ready to submerge._"

Tendo checked the maps as the two Jaegers strode into the deep waters that they had never been designed to fight in, but now had to in order to end the war. "Two actives still in circle formation in the Guam Quadrant. Code names: Scunner, Raiju. Both Category IV."

Pentecost replied for both Jaegers. "_Roger that. Half a mile to the ocean cliff… We jump! It's 3000 meters to the Breach._"

Chuck smiled as his father growled his dismay at the visibility. "_Half a mile? I can't even see a damn inch ahead! How are we supposed to deliver the bomb?_"

Raleigh came back with an answer that was obvious. "_Visibility's zero. Switching to instruments now._"

Suddenly, Tendo jumped to the mike. "Gipsy, you have movement on your right. Three o'clock. THREE O'CLOCK!"

Raleigh's frustrated voice came back. "_Right flank's clear. I got nothing._"

"Left now, and moving fast! Fastest Kaiju on record!"

"_I don't see anything. It's moving too fast!_"

Herc chimed in. "_Eyes front, Gipsy. 600 meters from the drop._"

Both Jaegers jumped over the edge of the cliff and plunged more than a kilometer deeper into the ocean.

Herc radioed again, giving a status update. "_400 meters and closing!_"

Tendo looked back at the map, and jumped back to the mic. "Bogeys are stopping! One o'clock!"

Striker stopped dead in its tracks, and Chuck grabbed the microphone. "Striker, what are you doing?"

Pentecost replied. "_They're stopping. Why the hell are they stopping?_"

"I don't give a damn, sir! You're 300 meters from the jump!"

Herc responded. "_Something's not right._"

Tendo reclaimed the mic. "Striker, the bogeys aren't following. Take the leap, NOW!"

Suddenly, Newt and Hermann burst into LOCCENT. "DON'T DO IT! DON'T JUMP! IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK!" Newt shoved Tendo aside. "Move, you hipster. Blowing up the Breach, it's not going to work!"

A _very_ confused Pentecost replied to this bombshell. "_What do you mean? What's not going to work?_"

"Sir, just because the Breach is open does NOT mean you're going to be able to get a bomb through!"

Gottlieb expanded on this. "The Breach genetically reads the Kaiju like… like a barcode at the supermarket and then lets them pass."

"Okay, so you're going to have to fool the Breach into thinking you have the same code."

Raleigh's strained voice could be heard clearly. "_And how are we supposed to do that?_"

"By making it think you are a Kaiju."

Hermann rolled his bloodshot eyes and expanded on Newt's rather vague plan. "You have to lock onto the Kaiju, ride it into the Breach. The throat will then read the Kaiju's genetic code and let you pass."

"If you don't do it, the bomb will deflect off the Breach like it always has, and the mission will fail."

Chuck shoved the scientists away. "Okay, now that you've heard all that… Striker, take the leap!"

Tendo, however, decided now was a _very_ bad time to jump. "WAIT! Third signature emerging from the Breach!"

The two scientists were just as stunned as Chuck. "It's a Triple Event."

"Oh God, I was right."

Pentecost's voice filled the LOCCENT. "_How big is it? What Category?_"

Tendo saw the figures and paled. "It's a Category V. Our first ever."

There was a _long_ pause before Striker deployed his Sting Blades.

Raleigh called out over the radio. "_Striker, we see him. We're right behind you, about 100 meters. We're gonna come around your three o'clock, try to flank him. Standard two-team formation. Just keep him busy for a few-_" A thud came through the radio.

Chuck hadn't had to sit out a fight for five years. Now, he had no choice. He watched the telemetry feeds, hoping to get some small insight that could help provide an edge.

Suddenly, Herc's voice broke through the swirling thoughts that consumed Chuck. "_BRACE FOR IMPACT!_"

A series of groans came from Striker, and Chuck winced as he saw the damage that the Mark V had taken. Gipsy was having an even rougher time, being tag-teamed by the two Cat IVs. She lost an arm, then had her right knee savaged. _And to think that I thought of them as mediocre! Mako and Raleigh are taking a ton of damage, and they just keep fighting. More than I could take, actually._

Raleigh's pained cry filled Chuck's ears. "_LET'S GET THIS SON OF A BITCH!_"

Chuck noticed Raiju charging towards Gipsy, and decided that he should warn them. "Gipsy, coming up on your twelve o'clock! Full speed! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

To Chuck's great surprise, and secret delight, the old Mark III stuck her sword out, and proceeded to bifurcate the fast-moving Kaiju from nose to tail.

However, Striker wasn't having any better luck. Herc checked the systems, and was dismayed by the results. "_The release is jammed! We can't deliver the payload! We're still armed, but the hull is compromised, and half our systems are offline, Stacker._"

The Marshall remained calm. "_We need to override the-_"

"_WHAM!"_

Chuck winced at the screams of the damaged Conn Pod absorbing yet another fearsome impact. The status display began to show more and more red systems as Striker was take for a tumble by Slattern. Still, the Mark V delivered a phenomenal amount of punishment, slicing the throat and nearly severing the arms of the Category V Kaiju.

Tendo was fixated on the map display, fear evident in his face. "Both Kaiju are converging on Striker, fast!"

Chuck spotted Gipsy still limping forward, eager for another round with Scunner. "_Hang on Striker! We're coming to you!_"

"_No! Gipsy! Do not come to our aid! Do you copy?_"

"_Hang on!_"

"_Stay as far back as you can!_"

Chuck looked at Tendo, confused. _What is the Marshall planning?_

"_We can still reach you! We're coming for you!_"

"_No! Raleigh, listen to me! You know exactly what you have to do! Gipsy is nuclear! Take her to the Breach!_"

Chuck suddenly realized what the Marshall and his father were planning._ Oh, God._ _It's a sacrifice play. NononoNoNoNOOOOO!_

"_I hear you, sir. Heading for the Breach now._"

"_Mako! Listen. You can finish this! I'll always be here for you. You can always find me in the Drift!_"

Herc took a moment to say his goodbyes as well. "_Chuck! I hope that someday, you'll forgive me for the choices I made. For the missed opportunities and conversations._"

Chuck grabbed the mike. "Don't worry. I already have. I'll miss you, Old Man."

"_Don't call me that!_" Herc chuckled darkly.

Chuck wiped away tears. "Then don't let me stop you. You've got the shot. Take it."

Striker stood up, and faced Slattern. "_Stacker… It's been a pleasure._"

Pentecost transmitted his response, mostly for Mako's benefit. "_It has. Now, let's clear a path! For the Lady!_"

Everyone in the LOCCENT gasped as they realized what was about to happen.

"_Then let's do this._" The status boards for Striker showed the bomb arm, and the two Kaiju charging the Jaeger.

Chuck closed his eyes. "Goodbye, Dad."

At the same moment, Mako also sent a final farewell. "_Sensei… aishiteimasu._"

Striker, Slattern, and Scunner all vanished from the screens.

Deep inside Chuck's mind, a small spark went dark, and he began to sob.

-.-.-

Chuck was barely aware of the rest of Pitfall, or the party afterwards. He just stayed in his room and cuddled with Max, coming out only to pick up food. No one bothered him…

Until the day afterwards, when Mako knocked on the door. Chuck could tell it was her. So polite and graceful, but firm. He opened the door. He'd been correct, as Mako stood at the door. However, behind her stood Raleigh, who held up a bottle of Russian hooch with a sad smile.

Chuck paused, not sure what to do. Max, however, saw Mako and barked happily as he ran to greet her.

"Max!" Mako knelt down to pet him.

Chuck shook his head as if to deter a mosquito. "C'mon in, guys."

Raleigh leaned against the wall next to the door, clearly uncomfortable. Mako, however, sat on the bed a foot away from Chuck.

Raleigh poured them all a healthy serving of the rotgut. "How's the arm, Chuck?"

Chuck grimaced. "Been better."

Raleigh sheepishly looked at the ground. "Sorry about beating up on you earlier."

"Honestly, I think I'll take you punching me over Mako just flat-out dropping me any day."

Mako's face worked as she stared at the floor.

"Look, I know you didn't come just to share a drink with me…"

Mako giggled. "True. But we wanted to get you some before it all vanished."

Raleigh sniffed his cup and whistled. "Damn. Those Russians _can_ get anything. This is primo stuff!"

Chuck grabbed a cup and gulped it down, coughing at the burn in his throat. "Whooo…"

Mako took a sniff of hers and opted to not drink it, as it reminded her of some of the fluids she had used to clean Kaiju Blue off of Jaegers.

Raleigh set his cup down. "Chuck… everyone's worried about you."

"Well, they didn't lose their father."

Mako stiffened, clearly offended."

"No offense, Mako."

She relaxed.

Raleigh was clearly not moved. "Chuck… My brother was killed while we were in the Drift. I know better than most people what it feels like to lose someone close to you."

"Do you now."

"Look, I know you and your dad didn't get along much, even in the Jaeger..."

Chuck snorted, then took Mako's abandoned cup and swallowed its contents too. "That's an understatement, mate."

"I also know that there's nothing that Mako and I can say to make it feel better."

Mako looked at Raleigh, clearly confused.

"So if you ever need someone to listen to you… We're here."

Chuck looked at Raleigh, then at Mako. Mako's eyes were bloodshot from all the crying she'd been doing lately, and Raleigh was clearly tired from staying up with her.

"Thanks, guys. That means a lot to me."

Mako stood, and Raleigh set the cups and the bottle of hooch on Chuck's desk. Politely, the left Chuck's quarters, closing the door behind them.

Chuck looked at the door, stunned. Slowly, the tears began to flow. However, they were not tears of sorrow or grief. They were tears of joy, because he realized that there were people out there that cared for him, no matter how broken he was, no matter how much of a jerk he'd been.

He had friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**What If?**

_What if Striker Eureka had disobeyed orders and engaged Otachi sooner during the Battle of Hong Kong?_

-.-.-

Hu, Jin, and Cheung Wei had been the first to spot Otachi, and had promptly opted to use their signature Thundercloud Formation to fight the fast and agile Kaiju, rather than try to use their slow-firing IB-22 Plasma Cannon. However, they had not been making much of an impact on the Category IV, and were running out of options fast. Especially after Otachi caught two Crimson Typhoon's three arms, and crushed one of the right saw blades and crippled the plasma cannon.

Then, a gruff Australian voice filtered through their radios. "Typhoon, Throw 'im clear! We'll hit 'im with missiles!"

-.-.-

Cherno Alpha charged into the fight, trying to get into range to help Crimson Typhoon. However, well before they got in range, they watched the Chinese Jaeger's saw blades get caught, then crushed by Otachi. Sasha and Aleksis roared in anger, and the old Mark I Jaeger blasted its horns in challenge.

However, Otachi was not so easily distracted. It continued to grapple with the Mark IV, seemingly intent on destroying it first.

Cherno was still out of range when Herc radioed to the Chinese crew. "Typhoon, throw 'im clear! We'll hit 'im with missiles!"

-.-.-

Herc and Chuck watched from a distance as Crimson Typhoon began to engage Otachi. However, both Rangers could clearly see that Cherno Alpha was too far away to provide support, and that they were just inside of missile range.

Chuck toggled the comms. "LOCCENT, we're moving in. Crimson's outmatched!"

"_Negative, Striker. We need you to carry that bomb!"_

"LOCCENT, that wasn't a request for permission. That was a statement." Herc and Chuck began to run towards the Chinese Jaeger… just in time to see Otachi cripple the Mark IV's offensive capability. However, they were still grappling with the Kaiju.

Herc toggled the radios. "Typhoon, throw 'im clear! We'll hit 'im with missiles!"

-.-.-

The triplets performed the Drift equivalent of looking at each other and shrugging. _Why not? We're out of the fight anyhow._

With no better plan available, the Chinese Jaeger fired its rear jets and boosted itself into the air, using the surprised Kaiju as a balance point. As they climbed, they toggled the lower body rotation, causing the Jaeger/Kaiju stack to torque ever so slightly. Then, the Jaeger went over the top of the arc, and suddenly the rear jets were working together with gravity, adding the huge amounts of energy the next step would need.

Cheung loosened all the shock absorbers and purged the hydraulic accumulators, allowing the Jaeger to absorb not only the immense impact, but to also store the force and then unleash it in a powerful toss. Hu focused on maintaining balance, ensuring that the Mark IV would land on its feet, not its face. And Jin steadied the Jaeger's arms and used what was left of their grappling ability to hold onto the Kaiju with every ounce of power he could spare.

Then, Crimson Typhoon's feet slammed into the surface of Victoria Harbor, plunged through the water, and found purchase on the seabed below. Shock absorbers were pushed to the limit, hydraulic accumulators were pressurized to their redlines, and the Jaeger stopped its fall.

The triplets then released all the pent-up power into the arms of their beloved Jaeger, and Otachi flew over their head and into the air, sailing a surprising distance before splashing down, hard.

-.-.-

Striker Eureka was the fastest Jaeger in the world, and the Hansens put that speed to good use, chasing after the airborne Kaiju in order to stay in range. However, as soon as Otachi splashed down with a meteoric impact, the Australians halted the Mark V and armed the missile launchers.

"RAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Panels on Striker's chest snapped out of the way, and six stubby muzzles emerged from the newly-revealed cavity.

Chuck smiled dangerously. "Good night, Otachi."

-.-.-

Cherno Alpha continued to charge into the fight, eager to engage. However, their distance from the fight also gave them a better view of the battle… and the trap that Striker had just fallen into.

Behind the Australians, Leatherback had emerged from the waters of Victoria Harbor, mysterious energies flowing across its back towards a strange organ mounted between the spiked shoulders of the Category IV. Aleksis reached towards the radio toggles to warn the other Jaegers, but never made it.

A blue-white wave on electromagnetic energy lashed outwards from Leatherback, slamming full-force into the advanced Mark IV and V Jaegers, causing them to stagger…then go dark.

A single thought flitted through the Drift between the Russians. _Shit._

Then, the wave hit Cherno, and all hell broke loose.

-.-.-

Raleigh, Mako, Stacker, and Tendo looked around as the LOCCENT flickered and died.

There was a moment of silence, followed by Tendo's quiet but accurate, "What. The. Fuck."

Stacker slammed a fist against the desk. "I want LOCCENT and the Jaegers back online NOW!"

Tendo gulped. "Sir, the Jaegers are all digital! They're fried!"

Raleigh and Mako shared a _look_, and they instantly knew what the other was going to say.

Mako spoke first. "Not all of the Jaegers are digital, Marshall. Cherno Alpha will most likely remain online, if not at 100%."

Raleigh stepped forward. "And, Gipsy's nuclear as well. She'll have withstood that EMP."

"No. Let Cherno take the fight."

Mako was furious. "Sir, these Kaiju are fast and smart. Cherno cannot take on Otachi and survive. It's too fast for Cherno."

Stacker clenched his fists, knowing that his adoptive daughter was right. "Go."

Gipsy's crew tore out of the LOCCENT and sprinted to the Drivesuit room.

"Mr. Choi, I want to get back in touch with the crews. Radio, semaphore, Morse code, smoke signals if needed. Get me back in communication ASAP."

"Yes sir!"

-.-.-

Herc and Chuck disengaged from their harnesses and attempted to reboot Striker Eureka, without success. So, with nothing better to do, they clambered out the escape hatch atop the Conn Pod to either watch the fight or face their fate. Not far away, they spotted the Wei triplets doing the same.

Herc spotted Cherno resting in a three-point brace, seemingly dark and also disabled. However, Herc knew that the Jaegers could only come to rest like that if they were commanded to. He smiled as Otachi swam towards the old Russian Jaeger, confident that the Kaiju was swimming into a trap…

Until it went past the T-90, completely unmolested and bound for the city beyond.

Only then did Herc get worried.

-.-.-

The Kaidonovskies screamed in agony as the Conn Pod flickered all around them. The Drift bucked and shook, and RABITs flashed all around them. However, years of experience had left them with an almost instinctive ability to clamp down on the memories, and just focus on the _now_. As a result they noticed Cherno tipping forward, and they allowed Cherno to fall to his right knee and fist, bracing in a highly-stable three-point rest until they regained control over the war machine.

"Reactor's stable at 100%"

"Gyros are scrambled, but resetting."

"Incendiary Turbines are restarting."

"Spark Fist rebooting."

"Green across the board."

"Let's go get the bastard."

All over the Jaeger, lights blinked back online, and they triggered the spring-loaded punch that had slain a number of Kaiju. However, with it braced on the floor of the harbor, the fist instead shoved the Mark I upright and back onto its feet faster than would seem possible.

It also delivered a hefty shock to the seabed that felt like a small earthquake.

-.-.-

The triplets watched with delight as Cherno sprang upwards from the brace position it had been in, taking a step backwards to absorb the remaining energy. Hu gave a rousing whistle that could pierce the bustle of a Shatterdome with ease. He knew it wouldn't be heard by the crew of Cherno… but it still felt good to show support.

Leatherback turned to face the Russian Jaeger, obviously alerted by the solid _thud_ that rocked the Mark IV slightly. It roared in challenge, and the Kaidonovskies triggered Cherno's horn in reply and slammed their fists together in their signature taunt.

-.-.-

Herc watched as Leatherback charged at Cherno, seemingly intent on knocking over the Jaeger. He spotted a slight twitch of the armor plates on the Mark I's legs, and chuckled. _Right, let's see that ugly bastard try and knock over Cherno now that the stabilizer spikes have been deployed._

-.-.-

Sasha and Aleksis armed the Spark Fists, priming the massive ultracapacitors with millions of watts of electrical power. _Steady… Steady… NOW!_

Cherno's arms flashed forwards into the chest of Leatherback, where the Rangers discharged both the Spark Fist system _and_ the spring loaded punching mechanism. The combined impact stunned Leatherback and heaved it back in the direction it came. Before the Kaiju had even splashed down, however, they retraced the foot spikes and took two swift steps back. They would need the space for their next move…

Suddenly, the radio crackled to life and blared out Raleigh's voice. "_Hang on, Cherno! We're coming to back you up! We'll be there in a minute._"

The Russians looked at each other and grinned. _Backup? More like cleanup…_ Then, they primed the Incendiary Turbines.

-.-.-

Cheung was still focused on Cherno and spotted the change in color at the vents of the massive flamethrowers that Cherno carried on its shoulders… and where they were pointing. "Uh, guys? It's about to get really hot up here. Let's go inside."

A brief glance by the other two Rangers resulted in that becoming a unanimous decision, and the Weis practically dove through the hatch into their Conn Pod to ride out the incoming firestorm.

-.-.-

Herc watched Leatherback regain its feet, shake its head, and roar at Cherno once more.

Cherno didn't even bother to taunt the Kaiju. It simply fired the last weapon it had.

For ten long seconds, the Russian Jaeger went from tank to fire-breathing dragon as it spewed thousands of gallons of napalm at the Kaiju. Night turned into day, and Herc could feel the heat from over a kilometer away.

Chuck had never seen the spectacle of Cherno Alpha's Turbines before, and managed to utter a respectful "Damn!" before the shrieks of the Kaiju drowned out all other sounds.

-.-.-

Raleigh wasn't able to hear the screams, but he'd seen firsthand the carnage that Cherno's massive flamethrowers could cause to even the toughest Kaiju. He fought with his stomach's urge itself of his last meal, and thankfully won.

Mako, however, was simply curious, if a little queasy due to the Drift conveying Raleigh's distress. She'd never seen this before, and wanted to see how it went.

Raleigh sighed at his copilot's curiosity. "Trust me, it's not pretty."

-.-.-

Cherno finally depleted the fuel supply, and the Turbines shut down.

That didn't mean that the flames stopped. They just didn't grow any larger.

Leatherback, however, didn't care. He shrieked in agony as the napalm worked its way into every crack and crevice of his hide, burning all the way. The Kaiju dove underwater, trying to extinguish the flames.

Unfortunately, it didn't put the fires out; it just washed them off the Kaiju and into the bay, turning one of the world's busiest shipping ports into a sea of fire.

Cherno's crew looked around, seeking the Category IV without success. The flames fouled the thermal sensors, and there was too much noise for the sonar to work properly.

So when Leatherback burst from the water and tackled the Mark I, they weren't ready.

-.-.-

Mako stared at the hideously burned Kaiju as it emerged from the bay, sheathed once again in fire, and tackled Cherno Alpha.

Raleigh, however, was focused on the job at hand, galvanized by the stream of Russian curses flowing from the common channel. "Hang on, Cherno!"

Mako snapped back to the Con Pod. "Disengaging transport."

The Jumphawks rocketed upwards thousands of feet, disappearing into the clouds above as Gipsy fell into the sea of fire, scattering puddles of napalm everywhere.

Raleigh reached to hit the horn… only to find Mako had beat him to it.

Gipsy's horn bellowed out a challenge to Leatherback.

Leatherback turned to face Gipsy and roar, and Mako almost lost her dinner. _Oh… Now I understand why you were so disturbed, Raleigh._

-.-.-

Cherno's hull creaked as Leatherback walked off of the Jaeger and began to charge Gipsy. Aleksis and Sasha waited a moment to make sure that the Jaeger was fit for combat… and watched as first the EMP organ, then Gipsy went flying overhead, followed by a _very_ pissed off Leatherback chasing the Mark III on foot, bleeding the whole way.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

Cherno once again used the punch launch to heave itself back to an upright position, then stomped after Gipsy and Leatherback, intent on sharing some of the fun.

-.-.-

Gipsy slammed through Stonecutter's Bridge as she tumbled through the air before skidding to a halt in the middle of the container yards of the port. As Mako and Raleigh caught their breath and strategized, they felt a distinctive double thump as Cherno bounced upright. However, it would be a bit before they could join the fight, given how far Leatherback had tossed the Mark III.

Raleigh and Mako settled on a plan of action. "LET'S DO THIS, TOGETHER!" Gipsy bounded towards the Kaiju like a sprinter from the starting blocks, then jumped into the air, pushed by her rear jets. Raleigh and Mako landed a devastating punch onto Leatherback, dropping him to the ground. However, they didn't let up. Mako grabbed the bony frill that covered the base of the Kaiju's skull, and Raleigh quickly drove home two punches.

_Raleigh, we're not doing much damage._

"ELBOW ROCKET!"

The onboard AI replied, deadpan as always. "Elbow Rocket, engaged."

A panel at the back of the right elbow sprang open, revealing the bell nozzle of a rocket engine capable of churning out half a million pounds of thrust. A brief puff of red vapor escaped as the engine armed itself. Less than a second later, the engine blazed to life, gulping down fuel and oxidizer at mind-boggling rates, and a conical jet of blue flame erupted from the back of Gipsy's right elbow.

"NOW!" Raleigh and Mako backed up the voice command by snapping their arms down from the ready position, and the Jaeger followed suit.

The arm shot forward towards Leatherback's skull, and impacted with the force of a 747 airliner crashing into a wall at over 100 km/h. Leatherback was once again stunned, and fell to the ground…

Right at the feet of Cherno Alpha.

-.-.-

Sasha and Aleksis grinned as the Kaiju shook its head… then delivered a double punch with the Spark Fist across the area they suspected the Kaiju's heart was located. "Looks like comrades can use help, _da_?"

Mako's delighted voice came back as the Kaiju let loose a high pitched moan and twitched. "Good shot, Cherno!"

The Russian Jaeger seemed to shrug along with its pilots. "Is nothing. Now, go get Otachi. We finish Leatherback." Cherno didn't wait for a reply, instead stomping on Leatherback's skull, caving it in.

Gipsy paused for a moment, then brought her left plasma cannon online.

Confused but wary, Cherno backed well clear of the carcass. Sasha radioed Gipsy. "What is wrong, Gipsy?"

Raleigh's voice came back. "I think this guy's dead, but let's check for a pulse." With that, Mako began to fire repeatedly into the torso of Leatherback, until the Kaiju was less of a body… and more of a pile of gore. Then, and only then, did Mako stow the now-emptied plasma cannon.

Mako's smug response was curt and to the point. "No pulse."

The Russian Rangers roared with delighted laughter as they turned to face the city. "Now, how about we kill Otachi together, _da_?"

-.-.-

Out in the harbor, the flames had died down enough that the triplets could emerge from their Conn Pod. They looked behind them to see Cherno and Gipsy striding over towards downtown. Behind them, Leatherback's corpse caught fire for a third and final time.

Hu poked his head over the edge of the Conn Pod and looked at the still-burning sea of napalm below. "Remind me to never piss off the Russians. They won't set your house on fire… they'll set your _city_ on fire."

-.-.-

Newt fell to the ground in the middle of the recently vacated space in the public bunker. "This is the worst day ever…"

_CRASH!_

Newt looked at the caved-in section of the roof, and swore. "Murphy, I hate you."

Otachi slammed her claws into the hole, trying to grab Newt. Thankfully for Newt, he was too far back for that to work. So she tried to shove her head into the hole. Again, no dice. So, she reared her head back, stuck out her tongue…

_Tongue?_

The unearthly appendage slid into the bunker and floated past Newt, missing him by inches. It started to come back again…

_VVVVWWWOOORRRNNN!_

_BEEEEOOOORRRN!_

Newt froze. Each Jaeger's horn was as unique and distinctive as a thumbprint… and he could tell precisely which Jaegers were now striding though downtown Hong Kong. _Cherno and Gipsy? Where's Striker and Crimson, fighting the other Kajiu? Odd decision._

Otachi turned to face the new threat, clearly confused.

Cherno came around one corner, and Gipsy from another, forcing Otachi to either go through them, or run away from the Jaeger team, back the way that she'd come.

Otachi seemed to think for a moment, then roared a defiant challenge.

Cherno' horn bellowed back.

Mako adjust her grip on the oil tanker, then she and Raleigh swung it into position, holding it like a baseball bat.

Sasha and Aleksis were _slightly_ envious of Gipsy's full hand that enabled them to perform such a feat… But the Spark Fist and the Roll of Nickels was too much fun to give up. So they simply charged the fists again as they slammed the rolled fists together.

Otachi seemed to think Gipsy was the greater threat, and turned to face the American Jaeger… just in time to get a face full of oil tanker once… twice… three times.

As Gipsy's crew used Otachi for batting practice, Aleksis noticed something about the Kaiju's tail. "_Sasha, watch the tail… It's prehensile and perfectly sized to grab Conn Pods._"

"_Then let's grab it._"

Before they could, however, Otachi grabbed the oil tanker with her tail, wrenched it from Gipsy's grasp, and flung it down a side street to lodge between two buildings twelve storied above ground level.

Otachi then slammed her tail into Gipsy, flinging her away from the Kaiju, who then turned… to face a _very_ ready Cherno.

The Russian stood their ground, waiting for Otachi to charge them.

Otachi decided to change things up, and arched her tail up and over her body. The three-pronged pincer slammed down onto Cherno's "head" and grabbed hold, trying to twist it off.

Alarms went off all over the chest-mounted Conn Pod, warning about numerous structural integrity failures and reactor issues. But the tough old Jaeger held together.

Otachi was still trying to wrench the reactor tower off of Cherno when Gipsy grabbed hold of the base of the tail, trying to do something to avoid a reactor breach. The Kaiju was NOT happy with this turn of events, and instead her tail lashed out towards the Mark III, knocking it away again.

Cherno Alpha's Spark Fists finally landed another hit, shocking Otachi and knocking her back as well… landing squarely atop the laid out Gipsy Danger. The Kaiju righted herself and raced through a building.

Sasha eyed a new readout, and her heart fell. "Gipsy, our reactor cannot take any more. We need to withdraw to a safe distance."

-.-.-

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other and nodded. "Copy that, Cherno. Get clear and stable. We'll take it from here. Thanks for the help already."

Cherno stomped off the way they had come, careful to step in the same holes they had made on the way to face Otachi.

Gipsy stood up and took off after Otachi. Mako used the side and rear cameras to try and expand their field of view, hoping to glimpse the elusive Kaiju. _Nothing._

"We've got nothing. Moving too quick. Choppers, do you have anything?"

"_Negative. Wait, watch your-_"

Otachi burst from a building to the right, and proceeded to slam Gipsy through the next building. Gipsy shook free during the passage, and came out of the building on her feet.

Otachi changed tactics again, unhinging her jaw and spraying… _blood?_

Gipsy dodged, just in case.

The blue fluid flashed under Mako's arm, impacting into a building behind the Jaeger and promptly dissolving a _huge_ patch.

Mako and Raleigh checked where it had hit, started to look back at the Kaiju, then looked back to make sure they hadn't been seeing things.

Mako knew Gipsy would not withstand any hits from that. _Acid. Powerful one, too._

Raleigh's arm flashed into Otachi's mouth, grabbing hold of the acid sac and preparing to pull it off.

Mako spotted the tail of the Kaiju flashing towards the Conn Pod, and recalled the damage that Cherno took. She intercepted the tail, which then spiraled around the Jaeger's arm to get the leverage it would need to tear the head off. However, it was just out of reach.

Raleigh thought for a fraction of a second, then came up with a plan. It was totally against the rules, but it would be the only way to make it through the next 60 seconds. "I'LL HOLD IT! VENT THE COOLANT ON THE LEFT FLANK!"

Mako disengaged her motion controls and dumped the cryogenic liquid CO2 coolant through the left flank vents. Mako instantly understood Raleigh's idea, but wasn't sure if it would work fast enough.

The coolant only remained liquid while under high pressure and low temperature, and as it exited the vents, the pressure was released, causing it to boil and cool even further, reaching temperatures _far_ colder than anything the Kaiju had ever faced before. As a result of the cryogenic temperatures, anything that could solidify did so promptly. That included the fluids in the cells of the tail and the humidity in the air, causing the tail to freeze solid and become encased in ice. Mako watched the coolant levels and went to shut it off.

_Not yet… wait… NOW!_

Mako slammed the vent ports shut and retook control of her half of the Jaeger. With a quick twitch, she shattered the tail.

Raleigh watched the shards of Kaiju fall to the ground and grinned. _Let's finish this!_

Mako grabbed Otachi by the "horn" over her right eyes, and Raleigh tore the acid sac from Otachi's mouth.

Otachi was _pissed_. So she decided to play her trump card.

The Rangers cried out as the Kaiju knocked them over, then dug her talons into her back. Then, they watched in shock as the Category IV extended _wings_ and proceeded to drag them aloft.

Raleigh and Mako watched the altimeter spin like a slot machine in Las Vegas.

_5000 feet… 10000 feet… 15000 feet…_

-.-.-

Far below, Cherno Alpha had made it to the harbor and was about to shut down the reactor completely.

However, Aleksis spotted Gipsy and Otachi taking off. "LOOK!"

Sasha looked out the visor and spotted the Kaiju and Jaeger. "My God…"

-.-.-

Herc and Chuck were about to board a rescue helicopter when one of the crew pointed towards the city. The two Rangers turned so see Gipsy being dragged into the clouds.

Chuck dropped his helmet, not quite sure what to make of the situation.

Herc, however, stared at the spot where the Mark III had vanished into the clouds. "Good luck, Gipsy."

-.-.-

The triplets were already aloft in a helicopter, but all three jammed themselves into a doorway to watch Otachi drag Gipsy into the sky.

"Whoa…"

-.-.-

Raleigh tried to arm his plasma cannon, only to be greeted by an error message.

_CANNON INOPERATIVE._

"Well, that's pleasant."

Mako, however, grinned. _Time to show off my masterpiece…_

"We're out of options, Mako. I'm sorry."

_30000 feet… 35000 feet…_

"_No, there's still something left!_"

Mako touched an icon on the weapons system display that hadn't been there 30 seconds ago. _Sword? When did we unlock a sword?_

_Once the AI determined that Kaiju Blue wasn't an issue._

Raleigh simply followed Mako's lead as she unleashed the Chain Sword, tearing through Otachi.

Then, they floated in freefall for a few delightful seconds.

_50000 feet…_

Raleigh sensed Mako's utter delight at both the vengeance for her family and their brief flight alone.

Mako looked out the Conn Pod visor, taking in the sight of the curved horizon.

Raleigh joined her briefly, watching the loose bits of debris floating around the cockpit as well.

Then, drag settled in, and the Jaeger exited pure freefall.

The AI chimed in, trying to be helpful. "_Fifty thousand feet to ground contact…"_

Raleigh and Mako both rolled their eyes as they assumed the belly flop position for stability and drag. "Shut up, Gipsy."

-.-.-

Pentecost rushed out onto the landing pad, radio in hand. "Gipsy, listen to me! Ball up, loosen all your shock absorbers, and use the gyros to stabilize yourselves! It's your only chance!"

He watched, nervous, as the Jaeger fell from the sky like a meteor, even briefly being sheathed in fire as Raleigh cleverly purged the last of the rear jet fuel through the turbine on the Jaeger's chest to redirect the impact away from residential areas.

Then, the Jaeger slammed into the football stadium and vanished in a cloud of dust and debris.

-.-.-

"BRACE FOR IT, MAKO!"

Gipsy Danger slammed into the ground with enough force to level a city block. Which she did.

She also protected her Rangers from harm, leaving them breathless, but giddy at being alive.

"Mako, you okay?"

"Yeah… You?"

They both gave nervous laughs of relief, then stood up and shrugged the wreckage of the football stadium off their shoulder guards.

-.-.-

Pentecost let relief wash over him, and turned to Tendo. "I want all four Jaegers operational as soon as possible!"

"YES SIR!"

-.-.-

All four Jaegers needed heavy work. Cherno's reactor needed some serious TLC, and her turbines needed to be refueled, even though the next mission would be _deep_ underwater. Crimson needed her front right hand replaced entirely and all her relays and circuits reset. Striker needed a reset as well, and the bomb was ready to attach.

Gipsy, however, despite her incredible skydive, needed the least work. Priority was placed on recharging her coolant tanks, then on repairing the damage along the lower spinal area. Cannons were not a concern, given the crushing pressures they would soon be facing.

Raleigh and Mako sought out a quiet moment together in Gipsy's repair bay, where they just sat hand in hand, still in their Drivesuits. They were still like that when the other Rangers arrived.

The other pilots just stood there, watching… until Hu sneezed.

Mako and Raleigh both blushed as they realized that they had an audience.

Chuck laughed. "Don't let us interruptOW!"

Raleigh and Mako joined the others in laughing as Chuck grabbed his shoulder where Sasha had punched him, hard.

Sasha and Aleksis both stepped forward. "Thank you. We wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for your help."

Stacker arrived, seeking the crew of Striker Eureka. "Herc, Chuck, my office. NOW."

He saw Raleigh and Mako sitting together, and made a note to talk to Raleigh later, after Pitfall was done.

-.-.-

"Gentlemen, what am I going to do with you? I told you not to engage, but you did anyways. How am I supposed to entrust you two with a 1.2 megaton nuclear bomb, and with it the fate of humanity?"

Herc stood there, silently staring through the Marshall, the wall, and anything else between him and the edge of the universe.

Chuck, however, still had a lot to learn about discipline. "Because you don't have a choice, sir."

"That's not true. I could ground you, right here, right now, and copilot with your father for the mission."

Chuck opened his mouth to protest.

Herc stepped in. "Chuck, wait outside. And if you pick a fight with anyone, I WILL kick your ass so hard you can't jockey for a month. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir."

"Git."

Chuck slunk out the door to find Mako and Raleigh waiting to speak with Pentecost about something.

"Guys, I'm sorry about the fight yesterday. I was too quick to judge you and your Jaeger. You fought harder than we did out there, and came away with less damage." Chuck stuck his hand out. "Thank you. I'm much more comfortable with the mission now that you're onboard."

Raleigh took Chuck's hand and shook it. "Glad to be able to help. Even if I'm better at wrecking stuff than building it."

Chuck grinned. "Then let's shake on this: Everyone comes home from this mission."

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other, then back at Chuck. "Agreed." Mako shook Chuck's hand.

-.-.-

"Herc, what am I going to do with Chuck? He's unable to take an order."

"I'm not sure, Stacker… I'm at a loss myself."

"Yet you went along with him out there."

"Sir, you know how a Drop can go wrong. What if we hadn't engaged? Otachi probably would have used that tail trick on either us or Crimson, and we'd be down a Jaeger there. Or Otachi and the acid on Cherno. Even that armor would have been melted."

"There's no point in playing the 'What If?' game, Herc. Only the 'What Now?' game."

The conversation was interrupted by the Breach Alert. Outside the door, three sets of feet started running for LOCCENT.

Pentecost simply accessed a terminal in his room. "Talk to me."

"Two Category IVs, just… hovering over the Breach."

"How close to ready are the Jaegers?"

"Cherno needs another three hours. Crimson and Striker both need another hour. Gipsy's ready now, if we discount the cannons."

"They're useless that deep. So don't bother with that."

"Also, Dr. Geizler is on his way in. He says he has vital news for the mission."

"Then he should have plenty of time. Three hours?"

"I'll turn Gipsy's crew loose. Call it an hour."

"Jaegers are launching in 75 minutes, Mr. Choi."

"Sir."

Stacker cut off the connection. "Suit up, Herc."

"Sir." The Australian left the office and jogged down the hall.

Stacker walked to LOCCENT, ready to end the war once and for all.

-.-.-

Newt and Hermann had arrived in LOCCENT 20 minutes before Drop with a major bombshell.

"You can't just toss the nuke into the Breach like a giant grenade. It only allows Kaiju through."

Chuck crossed his arms and glared at the scientists. "So, how the hell do we get the bomb through?"

"By making it think you _are_ a Kaiju. You need to drag one with you."

Everyone paled at that… except Mako and Raleigh. Raleigh actually smiled. "No problem!"

Mr. Becket, would you please explain?"

"We kill a Kaiju, then drag that through. That's enough, right?"

Newt thought for a moment. "As long as it's fresh, yeah, it'll work."

Chuck smiled as well. "Then let's do this."

Mako nodded. "Yes. Let's."

All of the Rangers other than Mako and Raleigh filtered out of LOCCENT to prep.

Pentecost noticed their continued presence. "Anything else?"

Mako smiled. "Thank you, _sensei_. For letting me become a Ranger."

Pentecost smiled, a rare occasion indeed. "No… thank you, Mako. For letting me be your teacher."

Raleigh instinctively reached over and wiped away the tears slowly sliding down Mako's face.

Pentecost noticed the action, but didn't react. "I'm so lucky to have seen you grow into the fine young woman who stands here before me. I just hope you'll forgive me for being so protective of you. You're the only thing that I have left that resembles a family." He wiped away a tear of his own. "Now, go get ready."

"Thank you, sir."

Mako headed towards the door, but Raleigh hesitated further.

"Mr. Becket… If you break her heart…"

"With respect, sir? I'm afraid she'll break me before she lets me break her heart."

Pentecost smiled again. "Then you know her well. Good luck."

"Thank you, sir."

Raleigh walked to the door where Mako had waited. He leaned over to her ear, and whispered something. Mako stiffened slightly… then relaxed, as if a huge weight had come off her shoulders. Then, holding hands, the two Rangers headed off to the Conn Pod gantry, ready to Drop one last time.

-.-.-

The four Jaegers, though battle damaged, were ready enough for Pitfall. Cherno fired up first, and was hauled aloft by a formation of Jumphawks, who then headed towards the dropzone.

Next, Crimson Typhoon was hooked up for airlift, and once again took to the skies, headed out to face the Kaiju.

Striker went third, the bomb nestled between his Angel Wings for the duration of the trip.

Finally, Mako and Raleigh were up. They stepped into the Conn Pod, knowing full well that this could be the last time they ever did it. So they enjoyed the occasion, but didn't lag at all. In short order, they were ready.

Raleigh was pensive the last few moments before they dropped. "You know, Mako, all those years I spent living in the past, I never really thought about the future… until now."

Mako looked at him odd.

"I guess I never did have very good timing. Should have saved that for the Drift."

Mako laughed, and the Conn Pod dropped down the rails onto the waiting Jaeger below.

Raleigh _felt_ the jaeger come alive. He felt the core spool up from standby to ready power in seconds, rather than the nearly 30 seconds it had taken before his… hiatus. Gipsy also felt more… fluid. Nimble.

_Like Mako._

Mako's pride flowed through the Ghost Drift.

Then, the Ghost was erased, and the Drift solidified between the two, and Gipsy Danger was ready to go.

"Gipsy Danger, ready for airlift."

The Jumphawks grabbed hold of the Mark III, hoisting it up and carrying it out over the ocean towards the Breach.

-.-.-

The Jaegers reached the drop zone without incident and plunged into the Pacific Ocean, bound for the Breach. However, shortly after submerging, things started to go wrong.

Sasha and Aleksis noticed half a dozen abnormal readings on Cherno's freshly repaired systems. "LOCCENT, we're having issues with the fresh repairs not taking the pressure well. We need to abort."

"_Copy that, Cherno. Sorry about that."_

Cherno turned around and walked back to the drop zone to be picked up.

The three remaining Jaegers continued their march to the Breach, descending into the abyssal depths and zero visibility.

Herc called to the other Jaegers. "Almost to the first cliff. We jump over that, and it's three miles to the next one. Then, it's a straight drop to the Breach."

One of the triplets called back. "Three miles? Can't see three inches, sir!"

Raleigh and Mako didn't bother to transmit. They simply switched to instruments and pushed onwards, staying close on the right flank of Striker.

-.-.-

The three Jaegers made good time, moving along a well-known route to the Breach. Tendo watched their progress from LOCCENT while keeping an eye on the two Kaiju still guarding the dilated Breach.

Then, just as the Jaegers got close, the Kaiju fell back to the far side of the rift that hid the Breach.

"Guys… They're on the far side! JUMP!"

-.-.-

Herc and Chuck stopped Striker just short of the cliff, and the other two Jaegers followed suit.

Crimson's head swung around, trying to figure out why they had stopped. "What's wrong, Striker?"

Herc's extensive experience had given him an almost uncanny understanding of Kaiju tactics… and right now, every bit of that experience was screaming 'TRAP!' "Something's not right… why are they stopped?"

Chuck's insubordination surfaced again. "I don't give a dam, sir! We've got the shot. Let's take the jump and grab one of the Kaiju!"

-.-.-

Suddenly, the LOCCENT alarms went off, and Tendo looked at the Breach readout. When he saw the dilation spiking at over 50 meters, he swore in Cantonese and tore the mike from Pentecost. "Guys, there's a last Kaiju emerging from the Breach. It's a Category V, our first ever."

-.-.-

All three Jaeger teams froze and looked at each other in distress. _This changes everything._

Herc sized it up and formulated a plan. "We've got the Cat V. Crimson, take Raiju. Gipsy, take Scunner."

"Uhhh… Dad? We may need some help…"

Herc looked at the massive Kaiju that emerged from the chasm, landing with surprising elegance in front of the Australian Jaeger. Herc struggled to comprehend the sheer size of it, and failed. "Bitch is big" was the only thing he managed to get out.

A bemused Pentecost replied. "_Call it Slattern if you must_."

Striker's crew didn't bother to respond to the correction. They just braced for combat and deployed the Sting Blades.

"C'MON, UGLY!"

-.-.-

Crimson looked away from Slattern, seeking their mark. "THUNDERCLOUD FORMATION!"

The Jaeger's hands transformed into saw blades, which began to spin up… far too slowly. Belatedly, the triplets realized the problem: The water was as hard as steel at these depths, preventing the blades from reaching their ideal speed. To their dismay, the top speed of the blades was now less than one quarter of the speed in the shallows, and one tenth of what it was in the air.

Far too slow to be effective.

"Crimson Typhoon cannot engage! Thundercloud will not work!"

-.-.-

Gipsy Danger looked around, also seeking her mark. However, Scunner found them first.

Raleigh called the Chinese Jaeger. "Hang on, Crimson. We'll come back you up. Just hold on for a -"

Mako spotted Scunner charging at them, and dragged Raleigh along with her through their strong Drift. The Mark III caught the horns on either side of the Kaiju's head, keeping it just out of striking range.

Raleigh opted to use a rather brute-force trick to try and stun the Kaiju, and proceeded to head butt Scunner twice. Once the Category IV was suitably disabled, Mako grabbed hold of it in a chokehold as Raleigh deployed his Chain Sword.

-.-.-

Striker wasn't doing as well. Slattern lashed out with his powerful tails, crushing the Mark V's chest in and critically damaging the power supply.

The force of the impact also drove the Jaeger back into a black smoker, crushing the bomb release mechanism.

"GAH!"

-.-.-

Crimson Typhoon's crew backed out of the Thundercloud Formation and charged to help Gipsy. Then, they finally spotted their quarry, closing in on the extended right arm of the American Jaeger. "GIPSY, WATCH OUT!"

-.-.-

Raleigh heard the call from the triplets and instantly realized what was about to happen. He had just enough time to warn Mako to brace for an incredible amount of pain…

Then Raiju _tore_ Gipsy's right arm off completely.

Mako and Raleigh howled in agony as the circuitry suit relayed the incredible damage, overloading in the process and etching the circuitry patterns into their skin.

Then, adding insult to injury, Scunner chomped down on Gipsy's right knee, crippling it.

-.-.-

Crimson arrived and grabbed hold of the offending Kaiju and proceeded to rain blows down on it, dragging it towards a nearby vent the whole time. As they got closer, Scunner realized what the Chinese Jaeger was planning, and began to thrash in an attempt to break free.

Suddenly, Gipsy's left Chain Sword pierced the Kaiju through the neck, and the two Jaegers forced the creature onto the vent, burning it with the incredibly hot water. The Kaiju thrashed even more, and finally broke free, kicking off of Gipsy and using Crimson as a handhold to speed its escape.

The Chinese Jaeger grabbed the older Mark III under the remains of her right shoulder and helped her pilots to stand up. "Come on, Gipsy. Not done yet!"

"_Gipsy, Crimson, coming up on your twelve o'clock! FULL SPEED! GET OUT OF THE WAY!_"

Crimson nimbly darted to the side, trying to lure the Kaiju off of the crippled Jaeger. "Come on…"

The attempt was not successful, and the Wei brothers realized that they might just be about to watch Gipsy and her crew fall.

Then, at the last possible moment, Mako's arm flashed out, sword pointed straight at the Kaiju's mouth.

Suddenly, the tables had turned, and the crew of Crimson Typhoon realized that it was _Raiju_ who was about to die.

-.-.-

Mako and Raleigh groaned under the loads being placed on their beloved Jaeger, but held their ground as the Chain Sword sliced Raiju neatly in half. Then, they fell forward onto their right knee, sword across their chest, surrounded by the Kaiju Blue swirling through the water as the two halves of the Kaiju fell to the seafloor behind them.

-.-.-

Crimson promptly darted forward to assist Gipsy. "Hold onto us, Gipsy."

Mako's pride filled her voice as she called back over the radio. "_No, take the carcass and the bomb. Finish this!_"

The Weis looked at each other, nodded, grabbed one half of the Kaiju, and took off in the direction of Striker.

Behind them, Gipsy also began to slowly limp towards the Mark V.

-.-.-

"The release is jammed! We can't deliver the payload!"

Herc wasn't ready to give up. "We need to override the-"

WHAM!

Slattern slammed into the Jaeger, and took them for a tumble, smashing them into outcrops the whole way.

Striker gave as good as he got, if not better, however, badly injuring the Category V. This prompted the Kaiju to call for backup, and only Scunner could answer the call.

Chuck noticed both of the other Jaegers closing in on the Australian Jaeger.

Herc looked at Chuck, and the both nodded. _It's the only option._ "Crimson, stand down! You can't help us now!"

"_We'll take the bomb. Just keep the Kaiju busy!_"

"You can't remove it! It's stuck!"

"_Then arm it on a delay and we'll tear it off your back!_"

"Not an option! It's too badly damaged to withstand that!"

The Mark IV stopped, well clear of the Australians.

Gipsy walked up to Crimson, then stopped. "_What's going on?_"

Chuck and Herc both armed the bomb, but didn't trigger it. Not yet, anyways. "We're clearing a path!"

Herc smiled sadly. "Gipsy, you can close the Breach! Use your reactor override!"

-.-.-

Thousands of miles away, Pentecost slammed his fist into the desk again, frustrated that everything had gone so wrong so quickly.

-.-.-

The Kaiju charged Striker, and just as they impacted, the nuke detonated.

Scunner hit right against the nuke's casing, and was instantly vaporized. Slattern, however, had an entire Jaeger between him and the nuke, which left him gravely injured and hurled him into the rift that the Breach occupied.

Gipsy was grabbed by Crimson, who braced them both against the oncoming fireball, and then against the returning water, which rushed into the cavity carved by the miniature start that had briefly flashed into existence deep beneath the waves.

After the two Jaegers stabilized, Crimson handed over the carcass from Raiju. "Here, you need this."

"_Thank, Crimson._"

The two Jaegers made their way to the cliff overlooking the Breach… only to be confronted by a _very_ pissed Slattern.

-.-.-

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other, not believing what stood between them and the Breach. _How?_

Crimson let go of Gipsy. "_JUMP!_"

Mako and Raleigh did just that, firing the rear jets and grabbing Slattern. The force of the impact dragged the two combatants into the abyss, towards the Breach.

Slattern was not going to take it sitting down, however, and began to attack the freshly repaired spinal armor with his tails. One of the blows managed to hit Mako's oxygen supply, and she rapidly began to fade.

Raleigh swore. "Hang on Mako!" He reached forward and unlocked the fuel purge, and dumped the rocket fuel into the vortex turbine, creating an inferno aimed straight into the heart of the massive Kaiju. _Come on, Gipsy! Don't fail me now!_

As the two fell, the fire burned though Slattern's chest, _finally_ killing the Kaiju. Just in time, too, as they then disappeared into the Breach in a storm of lightning.

-.-.-

Crimson Typhoon looked over the edge of the cliff, watching Gipsy vanish in a flash. "They're in!"

Less than 30 seconds later, an escape pod emerged in another flash of light. "Hey, it's an escape pod!" They watched it shoot towards the sunshine and seagulls above, then refocused on the Breach.

Hu looked at Cheung, worried. "Where's the other?"

An agonizing minute passed, then the Breach writhed and changed colors. Jin swore. "Come on! Where's the other pod?"

Just as he finished, the second pod erupted from the Breach, scorched and dented. "Second pod in sight! Both Rangers escaped!"

Cheers filled the LOCCENT feed, and Crimson watched the pod sail past them, also bound for the surface.

The triplets looked at each other. _Fat lot of good we did today._ They shrugged, and headed to the drop zone, where their ride home waited.

Hu grumbled as they walked. "Gipsy's crew will probably beat us home."

Cheung tuned a radio to the channel used by Gipsy. "Let's listen in."

Jin, Cheung, and Hu were taken on an emotional rollercoaster as Mako and Raleigh finally got back into contact with LOCCENT, and the Wei Clan cheered as they heard Marshall Pentecost call out to "STOP THE CLOCK!"

-.-.-

Back at the Shatterdome, nearly four hours later, Mako and Raleigh stepped off the helicopter to see the Kaidanovskies, the Weis, and Pentecost waiting for them.

Pentecost stepped forward, beaming. "Well done, all of you."

Mako broke down into tears of joy and ran forward to hug Pentecost. "_Sensei!_"

Pentecost hugged her back, happy to still have her. "Mako… I could not be more proud of you than I am now."

Raleigh was sure Mako would explode with joy and excitement had the Ghost Drift not been there to allow some of it to bleed off into him.

Pentecost let Mako go, and Raleigh wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

A huge cheer rang out from the assembled crowds as the two Rangers embraced.

Sasha and Aleksis simply smiled, somehow knowing full well what was coming.

The Weis decided to make sure it did. "KISS! KISS!"

Mako's face turned a color of red that Raleigh swore matched the armor of Crimson Typhoon, and Pentecost's jaw was set. _Nope, no kiss. Not now, anyways._

Mako looked at him and smiled. _Not here. Somewhere more… private._

Then, the medics finally fought their way through the sea of people and almost dragged the Rangers to the medical wing, sparing them from any further embarrassment at the hands of Crimson's crew.

-.-.-

Hours later, Mako and Raleigh left the infirmary and headed to Gipsy's old repair bay, and settled down on the same gantry that they had eaten lunch on after their first Drift. They sat there, hand in hand, just enjoying the company.

After several minutes of silence, Raleigh pulled out his old iPod and scrolled through the menu, seeking a particular song. Finally he found it, and offered an earbud to Mako. She took it, and Raleigh started the music.

The guitar started slow, playing a memorable riff that Mako knew from somewhere…

"_Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road…_

_Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go…_

_So make the best of the test and don't ask why…_

_It's not a question but a lesson learned in time._

_It's something unpredictable that in the end is right…_

_I hope you had the time of your life!_"

Raleigh joined the singer on the next verse, and Mako was surprised at just how good of a singer he was.

"_So take the photographs and still frames in your mind,_

_Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time._

_Tattoos and memories and dead skin on trial._

_For what it's worth, it was worth all the while._"

Mako joined Raleigh for the chorus, and their voices matched as perfectly as their personalities did in the Drift, providing a beautiful balance.

"_It's something unpredictable that in the end is right…_

_I hope you had the time of your life!_"

A violin joined the guitar for a brief solo, and the hair on the back of Mako's neck stood up.

"_It's something unpredictable that in the end is right…_

_I hope you had the time of your life!_"

Mako and Raleigh embraced, looking at each other.

"_It's something unpredictable that in the end is right…_

_I hope you had the time of your life!_"

Mako stood up on her toes and kissed Raleigh.

-.-.-

**Author's notes: **

Phew! That was a long one. But it got into my head, and I had to write it out to get it out of my head. Even if it's the _longest_ single document I've _ever_ written.

Couple of technical notes: After writing the scene with Crimson throwing Otachi, I noticed that they did NOT go over the top in the movie. It still looks better if they did do a complete flip, though, so I kept it. And as for the water slowing the blades of the Thundercloud formation, yes, this does happen. Even though the density doesn't change much with depth (not as much as air, for example), the pressure jumps significantly. I'm assuming that the blades had some sort of way to protect themselves when being used in the shallows, but the immense pressures would probably prevent that system from working at Challenger Deep.

Also, the song Raleigh played, if you don't recognize it, it Green Day's "Time of Your Life."


	3. Chapter 3

**What if?**

_What if it had been Raleigh's oxygen line that got cut during the final battle with Slattern, instead of Mako's?_

-.-.-

"On my count, rear jets! Three… Two… One… NOW!"

Mako and Raleigh both toggled Gipsy's thrusters, and Mako let go of the bifurcated Kaiju carcass. Raleigh then guided the badly-damaged Jaeger on a collision course with Slattern as Mako's arm flashed up to grapple with the massive Category V. Then, they collided, and Mako deployed her Chain Sword to pin the Kaiju in place.

Raleigh continued the burn, driving the two massive warriors towards the Breach. "Hold on!"

Slattern was _not_ happy about that… or being slammed through a black smoker chimney. He proceeded to lash out with his tails, slamming through hastily repaired armor panels at the small of Gipsy's back, tearing at her shoulders, finally landing a solid blow between Gipsy's "shoulder blades" and crushing vital life support systems.

-.-.-

Far away, in LOCCENT, an alarm that Tendo had never hoped to hear again went off. "Raleigh's oxygen is down. Half capacity!"

Herc stood by, helpless. "Can you reroute it?"

"I'm trying, sir!"

-.-.-

"Hold on, Mako."

"_Heat shaft… purge._"

"I'm gonna burn this son of a bitch."

Raleigh fought off the creeping darkness as the edge of his vision and activated the chest mounted turbine exhaust. The incredible heat blasted outwards, tearing through Slattern's chest cavity and _finally_ killing the Kaiju. Just in time, as they fell into the Breach…

And transited it.

-.-.-

Tendo watched the two signatures disappear from the sensors. "They're in! They're in."

Newt let out a sigh of relief. "It worked."

-.-.-

Mako retracted the Chain Sword, as it was no longer needed. She looked over to Raleigh, who was fading fast.

"_Oxygen main… right hemisphere. Critical levels._"

Mako's glance flashed over to Raleigh's flank, where his air intake was. It was flashing red. _No. Nonono. Not now._

"_Operating at… 15% capacity._"

Mako unhooked her own oxygen supply and reached over to Raleigh's side of the Motion Capture Rig.

"_10 % capacity._"

Mako unsnapped Raleigh's failed line.

"_5% capacity._"

-.-.-

Tendo's face paled as he saw the readouts change. "She giving him her oxygen."

-.-.-

Mako snapped her oxygen line into Raleigh's suit.

"It's okay now, Raleigh. We did it. I can finish this alone. All I have to do is fall." She smiled slightly as she touched his helmet. "And anyone can fall."

Tendo's distorted voice echoed in her helmet as she reached over and armed Raleigh's escape pod. _Forgive me for this, Raleigh, but this is the path I chose so long ago…_ "_Mako! Your oxygen levels are critical now. You don't have much time._" She turned to watch as Raleigh was encapsulated in the escape pod. "_Start the core meltdown and get out of there. Do you hear me? Get out of there now!_"

As soon as Raleigh was fully encased in the pod, it ejected from the top of Gipsy through a series of armored hatches, and he hurtled clear of the doomed Jaeger towards the surface.

-.-.-

Tendo's face fell as he watched the readouts. "One pod is ejected. No detonation, sir."

Herc slammed his fist to the desk, before hearing Mako's voice filter through from another universe. "_LOCCENT, if you can still hear me, I'm initiating manual override now!_"

A beeping sound echoed in the background of the link, followed by a garbled message from the AI.

"What's going on?"

Tendo flew across the LOCCENT main panel in his chair. "Trigger's offline! She's going to have to do it by hand."

Newt's panicked voice came from behind Herc. "She's out of time. She has to self-destruct now!"

-.-.-

Mako unhooked from the harness, grateful for the automatic reconnection system she'd insisted on installing. Carefully, Mako worked around the edge of the Conn Pod, making her way to the back door where the manual trigger was located. She noticed the faint graying of the fringes of her vision as she burned through the last of the oxygen in the cockpit, but pushed on.

Then, the Jaeger tumbled, and Mako swore in Japanese as she fell, barely grabbing hold of the edge of the gyro shaft casing. With a feral snarl, she pulled herself off the edge and over to the trigger housing, which she heaved open. A small, detached portion of her brain realized that she ordinarily would _not_ have been able to perform that task, but that the adrenaline had made it possible. She shook her head and went through the steps to trigger the self-destruct. "_Shudō sōsa de kaishi. T - 60-byō de koamerutodaun!_" _Manual override initiated. Core meltdown in T-60 seconds!_

Mako stumbled over to her side of the rig and strapped back in. "_Reactor meltdown in… 55 seconds... 50 seconds._"

Mako briefly blacked out, but fought her way back to consciousness. Wiping her helmet to clear away the water, she used the fuel purge to act as a thruster just like Raleigh had in the skies above Hong Kong, bringing the Jaeger to a halt eye to eye with… well, Mako wasn't quite sure _what_ they were. But they were creeping her out, and they would soon be dead. _How's it feel to have your world invaded by a giant war machine?_

She noticed the time, swore again, and initiated her own ejection, rising into the ceiling of the Conn Pod on the armature of her MoCap Rig. Then, with a loud _BANG_, Mako's pod closed up, and was promptly kicked from the dying Jaeger. She watched through her small window as she tumbled upwards towards the Breach, and got one last good look at _her_ Jaeger as it hovered there, ready to explode.

Then, just as she entered the Breach, there was an eye-searing flash from behind her pod, and Mako was slammed through the throat of the Breach. Then, the world went dark, and Mako couldn't fight it.

-.-.-

Raleigh regained consciousness about 30 seconds before the escape pod surfaced, giving him enough time to regain his bearings and begin to worry about Mako. _Why would she eject me like that?_

_SPLOOSH._

Raleigh's pod broke the surface, and he actuated the releases, blowing the top cover off and opening the doors. He stood up, searching for the other pod that _should_ be nearby…

_SPLORSH._

Miracle of miracles, Mako's pod surfaced less than ten meters away. Then Raleigh noticed that it was badly scorched and battered. _No… Not again. I can't lose another copilot._ He dove into the ocean and swam over to the pod, which hadn't opened up yet. _Come on, Mako!_ He pulled himself aboard, worrying the whole way. And still the canopy didn't pop off. So Raleigh hit the eject handle, and the cover blew off and into the water. He hauled Mako's helmet off and pitched it into the waves, then promptly began to search for a pulse. _Nothing… NO! NOT AGAIN! _"Come on, Mako! Wake up… Please wake up!"

No response, not even from LOCCENT.

Raleigh hauled Mako's limp body upright and hugged her tight, not wanting another dead copilot… _wait… why do my ribs hurt like someone's crushing them?_ Raleigh eased off the pressure on Mako's ribs, and the pain in Raleigh's ribs eased as well.

Mako suddenly gasped, still desperate for air. "You were squeezing me too tight, Raleigh."

Raleigh laughed in delight as he hugged Mako close, just not as hard as before. "I thought I'd lost you there for a while."

In the distance, the slap of helicopter rotors signaled the arrival of their ride home, and the two Rangers embraced, happy to have survived.


End file.
